Surah An Nur Tafseer

وَالْقَوَاعِدُ مِنَ النِّسَاء

And the Qawa`id among women.

Sa`id bin Jubayr, Muqatil bin Hayyan, Ad-Dahhak and Qatadah said that;

these are the women who no longer think that they can bear children,

اللَّتِي لَا يَرْجُونَ نِكَاحًا

who do not hope for marriage,

meaning, they no longer have any desire for marriage,

فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهِنَّ جُنَاحٌ أَن يَضَعْنَ ثِيَابَهُنَّ غَيْرَ مُتَبَرِّجَاتٍ بِزِينَةٍ

it is no sin on them if they discard their (outer) clothing in such a way as not to show their adornment.

meaning, they do not have to cover themselves in the same way that other women have to.

Abu Dawud recorded that Ibn Abbas said that;

the Ayah:

(And tell the believing women to lower their gaze) (24:31), was abrogated and an exception was made in the case of:

(the past childbearing among women who do not hope for marriage).

فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهِنَّ جُنَاحٌ أَن يَضَعْنَ ثِيَابَهُنَّ

it is no sin on them if they discard their (outer) clothing,

Ibn Mas`ud said about (outer) clothing,

"The Jilbab or Rida'."

A similar view was also narrated from Ibn Abbas, Ibn Umar, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Abu Ash-Sha`tha', Ibrahim An-Nakha`i, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Az-Zuhri, Al-`Awza`i and others.

غَيْرَ مُتَبَرِّجَاتٍ بِزِينَةٍ

in such a way as not to show their adornment.

Sa`id bin Jubayr said,

"They should not make a wanton display of themselves by removing their outer garment so that their adornment may be seen."

وَأَن يَسْتَعْفِفْنَ خَيْرٌ لَّهُنَّ

But to refrain is better for them.

means, not removing their outer garment, even though that is permissible for them, is better for them.

وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ

And Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower